Back-burning is common in Australia in the lead up to the summer. Firefighters burn areas of bush to clear the dead leaves and scrub so that unplanned fires later in the summer do not sweep out of control because they run out of fuel when they hit a strip of previously burned forest.

Even though the fires are lit in controlled conditions and are essential it still gave me goosebumps driving through the smoke between work and home today. Seeing multiple fire trucks and dozens of fire-men along the bush near our home made me aware of what a major fire could mean to us as a family if it happened unexpectedly.

I am grateful for the work being done this week that will protect us over the coming hotter weeks.

1 comments - click here to leave your comment:

As a former wildland firefighter I would say that relying only on the backburns done is not enough to ensure safety from wildfires. It is always a good idea to have your house evaluated by a professional, and take steps to further protect your home; from removing fuel (woodpiles, debris) from around the house and landscaping accordingly, you can cut down the risk level and also make your home easier to protect should a wildfire occur.